LED Ethernet Controller 3

LEC 3 is the LED Ethernet controller at the heart of the LED Strip Studio system. Four powered SPI outputs drive up to 4096 addressable pixels, and you can run them live from LED Strip Studio software, from any Art-Net console or DMX desk, or from the built-in SD card player when nobody is on site. The DMX output brings analogue fixtures into the same show.

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Description

What can LEC 3 actually drive?

Every pixel installation starts with one question. What will actually drive the LEDs? LEC 3 answers it for four SPI lines at once.

The controller handles up to 4096 addressable RGB pixels. In RGBW mode the limit is 3072. Each of the four powered outputs runs 1024 RGB pixels.

Need more? Add LSS Distributors and one controller reaches 8096 pixels. Moreover, several LEC 3 units share a single Ethernet switch. As a result, installations of 50 000 pixels and more stay on one network.

Four ways to run the show

First, Ethernet. LED Strip Studio software sends video, live stream and generated effects in real time. You can also build a full show on a timeline and sync it to music.

Second, Art-Net™. LEC 3 works as a direct pixel output for Madrix, MadMapper or MA Grand consoles. Each output accepts up to seven universes.

Third, DMX512. The 3-pin XLR input and output work in pixel mode. Alternatively, DMX simply triggers animations stored on the card.

Finally, stand-alone. The controller plays up to 255 animations from the micro SD card, or a 16-step playlist. You switch files by buttons, DIP switch or web interface.

How do digital and analogue lights share one timeline?

DMX Out runs in Out and Through mode. Therefore the same controller also feeds analogue strips, PARs and other DMX fixtures. Digital and analogue lighting stay on one timeline.

Setup and testing in a browser

Type the device IP into any browser. By default it is 192.168.1.147. Then set LED IC type, colour order, brightness ceiling, universes and playlists. A phone works just as well as a laptop.

Built-in test patterns confirm wiring before the strips go up. Firmware updates arrive from the SD card, or through the web interface.

Power, protection and mounting

The 5–24 V DC input matches your strip voltage. Each output carries up to 5 A. Above that, a resettable polyfuse protects the board instead of letting it burn.

Two RJ-45 ports share an internal switch. Consequently, controllers daisy-chain without extra hardware.

The body measures 142 × 69 × 44 mm, or 207.2 mm across the brackets. L-brackets and a DIN rail mount are included. Designed for indoor use.

Control ModesLED Strip Studio software (Ethernet), Art-Net™ pixel, Art-Net SD-card, DMX512 pixel, DMX SD-card, stand-alone auto-play, testing
Operating Voltage5–24 V DC
Board Consumption0.3 A (controller only, without LEDs)
SPI LED Outputs4, powered
Max LEDs per Output1024 RGB / 768 RGBW
Max LEDs Total4096 RGB / 3072 RGBW (8096 with LSS Distributors)
Max Current10 A total, 5 A per output, polyfuse protected
Supported LED ICsWS, TM, APA and SK families (WS2811, WS2812B, WS2801, WS2803, APA102, TM1809 and more)
Ethernet2 × RJ-45, internal switch, 100 Mbit/s
DMX InputXLR 3-pin (5-pin optional)
DMX OutputXLR 3-pin (5-pin optional), Out or Through mode
Power / SPI ConnectorPluggable terminal block, 5 mm pitch (e.g. SH04-5-GY)
StorageMicro SD card, FAT32, up to 32 GB
AnimationsUp to 255 files, playlist up to 16 steps
Art-NetUp to 7 universes per output, net address 1–128
Default IP192.168.1.147
FirmwareUpgradable via SD card or web interface
MountingL-shape brackets and DIN rail mount included
Dimensions142 × 69 × 44 mm
Weight468.8 g
UseIndoor only
1024 Pixels (6 Art-net universes) | 2048 Pixels (12 Art-net universes) | 4096Pixels (24 Art-net universes)
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